The gist of worship

It is in love that religion exists and not in ceremony, in the pure and sincere love in the heart. Unless a man is pure in body and mind, his coming into a temple and worshipping Shiva is useless. The prayers of those that are pure in the mind and body will be answered by Shiva, and those that are impure and yet try to teach religion to others will fail in the end. External worship is only a symbol of internal worship; but internal worship and purity are the real things. Without them, external worship would be of no avail. Therefore you must all try to remember this.

This is the gist of all worship – to be pure and to do good to others.
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This unselfishness is the test of religion. He who has more of this unselfishness is more spiritual and nearer to Shiva than anybody else, whether he knows it or not. And if a man is selfish, even though he has visited all the temples, seen all the places of pilgrimage, and painted himself like a leopard, he is still further off from Shiva.

~Swami Vivekananda

Every man works to live. One who does not work is but an extra baggage on the earth. How then does one choose one's work? What is the final aim of one's existence, one's occupation?

The only reason to do anything should be to help those around us. Love and compassion towards all is the only aim, is the only religion, it is one's only true belief, it is the only thing that gives meaning to existence. To love is to live, and one has to live to the fullest.

How is one 'good' and 'pure' in one's daily life? By simply realizing the ultimate aim of the activity is being selfless. Try to love, try to help, try to serve, it is always the right thing to do. If you are a doctor, fight to save every patient's life, if you are a waiter make sure every customer is fed, if you are a builder, make sure every building you build is a perfect home for someone.
The difference is in treating what you do as a job and treating it as a duty. The duty is to serve whomever you can, however you can. From the shoe-maker to the President, no matter what job you have, make it a duty, make it your service.

That is the only knowledge and wisdom, no religion, no saint, no holy book can teach anyone anything more. To try to inculcate that in what we do, and to do our work with that attitude, without any results, without any selfishness is the only thing. It is the gist of religion, it is the gist of life.

May we all proceed on this path of righteousness, may our minds be free from enchantments, may we all live to serve, may we all help and be kind, pure and giving. May giving love and compassion be the only mission of our life.